Mao was fond of studying history. After being sent to hell, he began re-examining Chinese history and realized that his earlier “essence and dross” theory was wrong. Forty years later, he believed that the historical records passed down were extremely valuable and worth learning from. The Han, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties were all great golden eras. Previously, for revolutionary propaganda, people had emphasized that peasant uprisings were justified and denied the achievements of past rulers, which was wrong. Especially regarding the Qing Dynasty, people had previously denigrated it to justify overthrowing the Manchus, portraying it as a complete disaster, which did not match historical reality.

Mao re-examined the eleven Qing emperors and found them acceptable; although the Qing ruled for over two hundred years and made no great contributions to the Chinese nation, it was also not a disaster. Especially under Empress Dowager Cixi, who held power for forty-eight years, faced the modern world, and initiated a new era of reform and openness. He even visited Cixi’s mausoleum to see if he might encounter her spirit.

At night, Mao kept thinking about Empress Dowager Cixi. Near midnight, as he thought of her, she appeared.

Mao: “You once ruled a nation. You are fifty-eight years older than me. When you passed away, I was only fifteen, living in a remote countryside, knowing nothing. Two years later, I went to Changsha and learned of it. In the past, I was disrespectful toward you. Forty years after my death, I have reflected on my errors. Today I realize that our descendants’ desecration of your tomb must have caused you great sorrow.”

Cixi: “The desecration of tombs is not just about me; I grieve that all my ancestors were desecrated. If there is a chance to amend it, one should lay down the sword and become a Buddha on the spot.”

Mao: “Ever since Yuan Shikai forced Emperor Puyi to abdicate, the country has been unstable, civil wars rampant, and our ancestors suffered greatly.”

Cixi: “The foundation of the nation became unstable, which was a grave error on my part. My mistake was deposing Guangxu and, on the day before my death, poisoning him to perish with me. As a result, the nation had no ruler. How could a three-year-old emperor govern? His father, in his youth, was arrogant and rash, creating the Royal Cabinet. Facing opposition, he said, ‘Don’t worry, we have guns,’ trusting only the barrel of a gun, with no understanding of compromise. If Guangxu had survived and recalled the conservative Kang-Liang faction from overseas, he could have reorganized the country and the Qing would not have fallen.”

Mao: “With the fall of the Qing, we ‘green-hat heroes’ had our chance to fight our way to power. Otherwise, neither Chiang Kai-shek nor I could have taken control.”

Cixi: “If you changed dynasties but the country was peaceful, that would be good. But your rule brought even more disasters, suffering, and countless deaths. Seeing this from the spirit realm pains me greatly.”

Mao replied evasively: “I did not want the people to suffer, but I had to follow the instructions of the old men in Moscow.”

Cixi: “You listened to Stalin, followed him blindly, and harmed the people. During my forty years of rule, I had already seen through the Russians; the ‘Polar Bear’ was fiercer than the Japanese. During the Eight-Nation Alliance’s attack on Beijing, they seized the opportunity to occupy Manchuria. I could only remain neutral. Japan was the lesser evil, and the Chinese secretly hoped for its victory. But Japan won, nurturing Sun Yat-sen. You allied with him to overthrow the Beiyang government and later split with Chiang Kai-shek. You clung to Stalin and introduced his system into China, using China’s resources to please Russia. After founding the PRC, you imitated Stalin, creating collective farms, confiscating peasant land, and starving tens of millions, which is incomprehensible. My heart truly aches.”

Mao: “I followed Russia’s example, establishing communism, and harmed the people.”

Cixi: “During my decades of rule, I observed that Russians were the fiercest, Japanese next, Americans the most friendly, and the British relatively moderate.”

Mao had to admit: “Indeed, the Russians were fierce. They invaded Xinjiang. If you had not, with your iron will, sent Zuo Zongtang to reclaim it, Xinjiang would have been lost, and China’s territory greatly reduced.”

Cixi: “In the 1860s, the pro-Russian forces seized most of Xinjiang during the Taiping Rebellion, putting it under Russian influence. Russia even sent troops to occupy Yili. I was determined to reclaim Xinjiang, which was extremely difficult. Most in court opposed it; even Li Hongzhang said, with the military and finances we had, it was impossible. But I knew if Russia held Yili for four more years, it would become a fait accompli. Zuo Zongtang worked diligently and reclaimed most of Xinjiang in two years. Russia still tried to linger, and I sent envoys to negotiate. They demanded large territories in exchange, which I firmly refused. Russia threatened war, bringing ninety thousand troops. I prepared to fight but sent envoys again, finally reaching a compromise, paying five million taels of silver as ten-year ‘custody’ of Yili, and China recovered the territory. Yet you communists, regarding Russia taking Outer Mongolia, did nothing; instead, you approved it, saying only the reactionary KMT would oppose Mongolia’s independence. You lost it without reason.”

Mao: “The Polar Bear has never returned territories it has taken. If not for your personally directing the Western Expedition and negotiations, Xinjiang would have been lost.”

Cixi: “From start to finish, I was tense for five years and fell ill. I have been true to my ancestors; Kangxi and Qianlong would not blame me.”

Mao: “Your handling of the French in Vietnam was wise, coercing them into peace, stabilizing the border, earning respect.”

Cixi: “In 1883, France invaded Vietnam. I studied Chinese-Vietnamese relations and saw we could not hold Vietnam. To stabilize the border, we could not meekly negotiate. Li Hongzhang had already reached an agreement with France recognizing the China-Vietnam boundary; China accepted Vietnam as a French protectorate. Later, France demanded 250 million francs. I viewed this as extortion and refused a single franc. I even proposed American mediation, but France refused. I declared war. Though initially we suffered, by 1885 we achieved a decisive victory at Zhen Nanguan, shocking the world. The French Prime Minister resigned, and his successor quickly reached reconciliation. France received nothing.”

Mao: “Many said after a great victory, why not pursue further? Why retreat?”

Cixi: “If we had pressed on, our forces would be isolated; Vietnam would not truly be ours.”

Mao: “Your decisions were wise and measured. Eighty years later, I applied similar logic in the Sino-Indian border war: win and withdraw, knowing when to stop. Deng Xiaoping used similar principles in the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese border conflict.”

Cixi: “You later added ‘benefit,’ making it ‘rational, beneficial, and measured,’ which is more complete.”

Mao: “Unlike your dealings with Russia and France, you trusted Americans and even appointed one as imperial commissioner to Europe and the U.S.”

Cixi: “That was Burlingame, U.S. ambassador in Beijing. He led a delegation, trained personnel, and helped open channels. Unfortunately, he died of overwork in Russia.”

Mao: “Your bold use of foreigners in diplomacy, openness, and vision created a new era in China.”

Cixi: “The British taught us a lesson with their cannons. Without openness and reform, China had no future.”

Mao: “But you opposed Kang Youwei’s reform movement?”

Cixi: “The reform was approved under Guangxu. Kang Youwei tried to dominate it, placing his supporters in power, which I saw through. I sent him to Shanghai; he refused. His schemes threatened the dynasty. Without Kang Youwei’s interference, Guangxu could have exercised power normally.”

Mao: “Chiang Kai-shek distorted history, claiming you opposed reform. I followed along. Now I realize my mistake.”

Cixi: “My other mistake was trusting conservative, anti-foreign factions, allowing the Boxer Rebellion to escalate, provoking the Eight-Nation Alliance. I issued self-critical edicts, promoting reforms greater than Guangxu’s reforms, planning nine years of constitutional monarchy. If I or Guangxu had lived, Yuan Shikai would not dare act, and revolutionaries could not succeed.”

Mao: “After my death, I studied the Self-Strengthening Movement and saw that under your leadership, late Qing initiated modernization, from railways to legal reforms.”

Cixi: “Building railways was difficult. The first suggestion in 1865 was opposed by ten princes and ministers, even Li Hongzhang, citing ancestral tombs and livelihoods. In Beijing, a short exhibition track was demolished by locals.”

Mao: “Changing traditional views is the first obstacle to modernization.”

Cixi: “After twelve years, the British built thirty li of railway in Shanghai. Locals opposed it, forcing a halt; the government had to pay to remove it. Only in 1889, under Li Hongzhang, the first seven-li track in Beijing was completed for me to ride, easing acceptance.”

Mao: “From rejection to acceptance took twenty-five years. Your ride legitimized it, opening the way for the full Beijing-Hankou line before your death.”

Cixi: “Revolutionaries exaggerate, rarely accomplish things steadily. My mismanagement led to the Qing’s fall and national chaos.”

Mao: “Your last eight years of reform were remarkable, starting in 1901 in Xi’an, initiating comprehensive New Policies.”

Cixi: “These reforms were deeper than Guangxu’s: administration, civil service, schools, military, finance—all reformed. Self-strengthening is the lifeline of the nation and its people.”

Mao: “You abolished Manchu-Han marriage bans, promoted women’s education, forbade foot-binding, sent female students abroad (including Soong Ching-ling and Soong Mei-ling), abolished torture, modernized prisons, set up law schools, built railways, streetlights, water, telephones, cinemas, sports events, parks, zoos, museums, hospitals—New Policies brought new life.”

Cixi: “I allowed foreigners in the Summer Palace, had my photo taken, invited American female painters to paint me.”

Mao: “So China’s openness began long before Deng Xiaoping.”

Cixi: “In Tianjin, after two years of occupation, public works and sanitation improved. Seeing Western systems, we opened up to learn.”

Mao: “You favored Americans most; how did that come about?”

Cixi: “Forty years of observation. Only Americans were sincere and harmless; thus, I considered them friends.”

Mao: “You hosted the American ambassador’s wife, sending your adopted daughter with 11 ladies to return the visit—400 in total. Impressive.”

Cixi: “I appreciated them. I sent gifts for her newborn, gave her a jade piece as a talisman. I also sent my portrait at world expos to President Roosevelt, who responded by sending his daughter to China, and later refunded part of the Eight-Nation indemnity for Chinese education.”

Mao: “Your most notable achievement was constitutional reform. Why were you so resolute?”

Cixi: “I saw the global trend toward constitutional monarchy. Britain succeeded because the Queen and Parliament worked together. China must follow. In 1905, I sent envoys to study global constitutions. By 1907, I established the Advisory Council. In 1908, I approved constitutional outlines and laws, completing the framework.”

Mao: “Setting a nine-year timeline for the legislature demonstrated real resolve.”

Cixi: “Prince Qing opposed it, but I insisted. Only by setting a timeline could officials be compelled to act.”

Mao: “Foreign reporters remarked on your firm grasp, driving the nation onto a path never taken before.”

Cixi: “Alas, I could only manage life, not death. I regret failing to plan succession; revolutionaries overthrew the young emperor.”

Mao: “I also failed in succession planning. Hua Guofeng was to transition, Jiang Qing would become Party Secretary, Mao Yuanxin President—unexpectedly Jiang became a prisoner, Deng Xiaoping restored capitalism. This violated my intentions.”

Cixi: “Your intentions differ in form, but both maintained extreme power. To ensure happiness for the people, you must repay the debt of thirty years of tyranny. Your successors must also reform. Without reflection, constitutional governance is impossible.”

Mao replied evasively: “Indeed. I am repenting, soon to face judgment from the Jade Emperor. Empress, please speak well of me, so I may escape the eighteen layers of hell. I am willing to be reborn as ox, horse, or even pig.”

Having spoken freely, Cixi stood to take her leave. Mao helped her up, kissed her hand lightly as once done to the Philippine President’s wife. Cixi laughed: “You rascal, still so lecherous after death,” then suddenly turned into green smoke and vanished, leaving Mao alone, standing in place, feeling lost.

NEXT: 7. Yuan Shikai (1859–1916)